Teachers have real concerns and every right to strike, says Labour spokesman

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Stephen Twigg urged new talks with four weeks left before strikes startTimes photographer, Paul Rogers

Greg HurstEducation Editor

Published at 12:01AM, November 1 2011

Labour’s new education spokesman has backed teachers preparing to go on strike
this month in a dispute over cuts to their pensions. Stephen Twigg said
teachers raised “legitimate questions” about being forced to pay more into
their pensions after a pay freeze and to work for longer.

Asked if teachers were justified in planning to strike, he said they had
“every right” to do so and many parents would support them. He accused
ministers of negotiating in bad faith and called for urgent new talks based
on fresh terms.

Mr Twigg’s intervention, three weeks after his appointment as Shadow Education